This invention relates to a tire and wheel alignment system and more particularly to a system and mechanism for correctly orienting a mounted tire relative to a wheel prior to its inflation.
As is well known, the balance and roundness of a tire and mounted wheel is particularly important to the good ride of a motor vehicle and to minimize unnecessary vibrations. Although considerable efforts have been put toward insuring accurate roundness of both the tire and wheel, it is nearly impossible to insure one hundred percent accuracy. Furthermore, even though the tire and wheel may be held true to their desired specifications, when mounted upon the wheel the wheel and tire assembly may not be truly round. It has been found that considerable cost savings may be enjoyed as well as improving both ride and vibration resistance if the tire and wheel are accurately oriented relative to each other when inflated so that the complete assembly assumes a more nearly rounded configuration. This may be done if the high spot on the wheel is aligned with the low spot on the tire. Thus, even though the individual components may be out of round the final assembly more closely approaches a true condition.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an apparatus for accurately locating mounted tires relative to finished wheels prior to inflation of the tire.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus which permits matching of the high spot on a tire with a low spot on the wheel so as to insure a more round completed assembly.
Although it may appear simple in retrospect to mount a tire so that its high spot is aligned with the low spot on the wheel or vice versa, it is extremely difficult to put this concept into practice. This is particularly true on the production line where high volume of wheels and tires must be handled and, furthermore, where there may be a considerable variation of mix of nominal tire and wheel sizes. Also, it is extremely important to insure that the alignment is accomplished as near as possible to the final inflation of the tire so as to insure that the match-up is not destroyed during subsequent handling operations.
It is, therefore, a still further object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for aligning a mounted tire on a wheel which permits high volume handling and which minimizes the likelihood of disarrangement prior to inflation.